Stars and Stripes festival set for East Rockaway

There's fun for the whole family at the annual East Rockaway Stars & Stripes Festival.

Tim Baker/Herald

Stars & Stripes festival schedule of events

Thursday, Sept. 14:

Rides and games from 6 to 10 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 15:

Rides and games from 6 to 10 p.m.

Barrier Brewery serving at the gazebo from 6 to 8 p.m.

Nova Sanctuary artists’ live canvass painting at the gazebo from 6 to 8 p.m.

Cheezey Pete’s Food Truck from 6 to 8 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 16:

Rides and games from 1 to 10 p.m.

Food trucks available from 4 to 10 p.m.

School of Rock performs from 4 to 5 p.m.

White Wedding 80’s Tribute Band performs from 7:15 to 8:30 p.m., and again from 9 to 10:15 p.m.

Fireworks show at 8:30 p.m.

By Melissa Koenig

The annual Stars and Stripes Festival will return to Main Street in East Rockaway from Sept. 14 through 16.

This year, the three-day festival will begin on a Thursday rather than on Friday, and will culminate in a fireworks show on Saturday night at 8:30 p.m.

“We’ll have food trucks, merchant vendors and, of course, the big fireworks display,” said Nancy Landerer, the coordinator of the event.

On Friday, guests will be able to enjoy beer from the Barrier Brewery Company of Oceanside at the gazebo from 6 to 8 p.m. The event will also feature two artists from Oceanside-based Nova Sanctuary, who will be doing a live canvass painting.

Saturday will begin with a performance from the School of Rock, which will be followed by a concert from the 1980’s tribute band White Wedding. At 5:30 p.m., Mayor Bruno Romano will perform an opening ceremony and honor veterans in the community. “We’ll have some veterans organizations there and [a] salute to the flag,” said Trustee Rich Bilello at the village board meeting on Sept. 7.

The festival will also have rides and games for children. The rides will be open from 6 to 10 p.m. on Thursday and Friday and from 1 to 10 p.m. on Saturday. The Town of Hempstead will also provide children and seniors with free identification cards at the festival on Saturday.